JIPEN/ShutterstockNAND, the technology behind solid-state storage, has become incredibly popular. It’s found in smartphones, tablets, computers, external hard drives, flash drives, and more. Anything that makes it smaller is a boon for numerous devices, which is why SanDisk’s latest announcement is a big deal.

The company has taken the wraps off a new 256GB 3D NAND chip with three bits per cell and 48 layers. Built in Japan through a partnership with Toshiba, the chip is a world first that, for the moment, gives SanDisk an edge over competitors in terms of data density.

It’s important to note, though, that the “world’s first” claim is the consequence of the chip’s layers, not its capacity. Micron and Intel have already announced a 256GB 3D NAND chip, but it had only 32 layers. Increasing the number of layers matters because stacking vertically allows a reduction in horizontal width and breadth, effectively giving the chip a smaller footprint. Further decreasing chip size means SanDisk’s hardware can fit where other solid state chips of similar capacity can’t.

3D NAND (in some cases called V-NAND, short for Vertical NAND) looks to be the future of mass storage solid-state drives. It offers much higher data density, which means SSDs can better compete with the maximum capacity of mechanical disk drives. That’s something not possible with conventional NAND, at least not in a standard 2.5″ or 3.5″ drive footprint. The chips simply took up too much space.

That said, 3D NAND is not the only new technology in storage. Intel and Micron recently announced 3D XPoint, an all-new form of storage unrelated to NAND that promises far superior read/write performance and durability. Very few details have been revealed about 3D XPoint, however, and its first incarnations are likely to be pricey.

Buyers won’t have to wait long to see SanDisk’s new 256GB chip in action – it will be shipping in SanDisk products as early as next year.

Asus has built some tiny bezels into its latest ZenBooks, and the ZenBook 14 is a 14-inch notebook that's as small as many 13-inch models. We compared it to Apple's refreshed MacBook Air to see which is better.

Ford is ending 2018 by venturing into the doghouse market. The company's European division has built a kennel equipped with active noise-canceling technology and soundproof walls that help dogs sleep through fireworks.

Facebook's Portal devices are video smart speakers with Alexa voice assistants built in that allow you to make calls. The 15-inch Portal+ model features a pivoting camera that follows you around the room as you speak.

Alongside powerful graphics cards, Nvidia may have more mobile GPUs to show off at next year's CES show in January. The MX250 has been spotted in a listing for an HP laptop, potentially replacing the entry-level MX150.

The ZSpace laptop wants to overhaul education and training by offering affordable access to 3D mixed reality through a bespoke screen and glasses technology that is already supported by a wide array of applications.

Google's Chrome web browser has been able to establish such dominance that Microsoft is abandoning its web rendering engine, switching Edge over to Chromium, but did Google play dirty in an attempt to force Microsoft to make the decision?

Would you like to know how to pin a website to the taskbar in Windows 10 in order to use browser links like apps? Whichever browser you're using, it's easier than you might think. Here's how to get it done.

If you're looking for the best wireless mouse on the market, we've got the list for you!. These six models have something for everyone, whether you're a hardcore gamer or simply looking to ward off carpal tunnel.

Don't be intimidated. Learning how to cancel Amazon Prime is easier than you might think. You might even get a partial or full refund on the cost, depending on how much you've used it. Check out our quick-hit guide for doing so.